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Bob Corker: ‘Not obligated’ to Norquist

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said Monday that he was “not obligated” to follow Grover Norquist’s pledge that many Republicans have signed promising not raise taxes.

“I’m not obligated on the pledge. I made Tennesseans aware I was just elected — the only thing that I’m honoring is the oath that I take when I’m sworn in this January,” Corker, a member of the Banking Committee, said on CBS’s “This Morning.”

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In the past few days, several prominent Republicans have said that they’d break with Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform pledge in order to reach a fiscal cliff deal, including Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

In a Washington Post op-ed published Sunday, Corker made his own fiscal cliff proposal that he said would “produce $4.5 trillion in fiscal reforms and replace sequestration.”

Later on Monday, Corker said on MSNBC that Congress must reach make a decisions based on on a “menu of options,” and said that a temporary solution would only lead to even more drastic choices in the future.

“We have a menu of options, all of which have been scored. This Congress has had two dry runs, we’ve been through this more than any Congress in the history of our country and really we just have to make some tough decisions,” Corker said on MSNBC.

He continued: “They’re going to be equally painful three months from now, nine months from now, two years from now – as a matter of fact, at that point they’ll have to be even more draconian. So, we can do this now. We know what the options are. Let’s make the decisions, get ‘em behind us.”

Readers' Comments (22)

You can`t serve Norquist and America at the same time. One is based in ideology. One is based in reality. One cares more about tax rates than the economy. One has to find the right balance. One only pretends to care about the deficit. The other knows the deficit will shrink when the economy starts working again.

Good thing. Without this kind of compromise there will be no solution to the fiscal cliff problem. Republicans should follow the teaching of Jesus who said not to make promises, but simply to say a "Yes" or a "No."

This drip, drip, drip defections can't be good for Grover brand. Another day another defection. He should announce that all those that want to defect should do so now or else be viewed as herding mentality on later date. We need to see those with or without balls!

Yes… all politicians need to continue to make promises and then break them, make a pledge and then renege on it. Do nothing but raise taxes. Conservatives need to just throw in the towel and become liberals. We all know that the only way to solve any problem is to raise taxes more and more and more… just throw money at everything. America no longer needs a moral compass because we have so much money now.

mclovee default avatar for user mclovee Member Since: Jun. 13, 2011 Party: NA #2 Nov. 26, 2012 - 11:23 AM EST Yes… all politicians need to continue to make promises and then break them, make a pledge and then renege on it. Do nothing but raise taxes. Conservatives need to just throw in the towel and become liberals. We all know that the only way to solve any problem is to raise taxes more and more and more… just throw money at everything. America no longer needs a moral compass because we have so much money now. ---------------------------------------- Conservatives need to ditch grover in order to become conservatives again. We are supposed to be REDUCING debt... not following one lobbyists idiotic plan to massively INCREASE it. More than ever we need fiscal conservatism and financial sanity. Not a lobbyist running our government. Ditch grover.

Thanks Sen. Corker - and a few others in Congress that are correct re: Norquist. Think about it. An unelected individual with political ties to party bigwigs, designs a well-intentioned tax idea.To display his serious intentions, it becomes a pledge. Then, for many years this pledge takes on its' own life, and this individual now possesses more clout that the RNC Chairman - or, it seems, more than any one senator or congressperson. And because of his stridency, he helps in losing elections!

Suppose you or I came up with a brilliant political position and turned that into a "pledge"? "You're crazy!" you say. You're right. Then how does this interloper snooker ALMOST ALL OF THE REPUBLICANS, into signing his piece of paper? I thought the elected men and women were educated (some lawyers, some doctors) enough to think for themselves.

Enough of this guy,and his power. He should take a shave, and go back to being a well-paid lobbyist. Repubs; remove the Norquist Obatacle. AND, with him go Rove, the smug, arrogant Kristol, and the rest that didn't want to win the election. Yes, they tanked. The R hierarchy didn't "like Romney, others thought him not conservative enough, the t.party turned their back, and the Indep's, those that weren't closet Dems., shunned the nominee. Another big, fat loss thanks to the above. CLUE: Unfortunately, the country is not as conservative as you think. In my lifetime, and maybe yours, there won't be a conserv. in the W.H. The Dems are busy cementing themselves into power for awhile. So, all you wrong-headed R policy people should leave and make room for a winning attitude. Bye! Boehner, Cantor

Fiscal cliff… what a sad state of affairs for this country. A sure sign that the collective is getting dumber and dumber, and once again what is the answer? More taxes. Once again to deal with the root cause of our spending problems is so unpopular that those who try are ran out of town. The wound is gushing blood and you can bet your bottom dollar that any soon to be deal to avoid the "cliff" will just be another roll of bandages. Cover the blood stain for a few days and the sheeple go back to their grass… but how long will it take for the blood to once again soak through? Not very long my tax and spend loving friends… not very long.

Will the spineless Republicans stand up to the big money that Grover controls, to serve their country or will they continue to grovel before the un-elected enforcer, shaking in terror while they serve the interests of the secret money donors??

Although the laws as they currently stand do not allow us to see who is pulling Mr. Norquist's strings, it seem most logical that it is high income earners who are attempting to keep a larger share of their income. After all, a lobbyist who says "don't raise taxes on the rich" will only have the support of the upper classes; however, if you say, "don't raise taxes on anyone" (which tacitly protects the upper class), then you can make middle and lower-class voters feel like they're fighting for themselves, instead of focusing on the fact that they are protecting the upper class. I'm not suggesting that tax rate increases are always the right thing, or that they will necessarily lead to economic growth or decline; however, the numbers I've seen out of the economy over the past 18 to 24 months (particularly the SEC filings of major companies) suggest that there is plenty of cash on hand to pay a higher tax rate, if we wish to make deficit reduction (and eventually debt reduction) our top priority.

And this is why right wing extremism loses elections. Your 1% may control nearly 50% of the wealth but it is still only 1% of the vote. Your rich and powerful "constituents" still only get 1 vote. Same as the lawn mowers.

So much for integrity, Republicans. There's gonna be NO "reach across the aisle. You ppl have to see each other every day, to do the ppl's work, so you have to try to get along? BS! Do what you constituants want, for a GD change! I've never been so disgusted in my party. You have NO balls! I'm today switching my "party affiliation" to independant! I've had it, with spineless representation.

So much for integrity, Republicans. There's gonna be NO "reach across the aisle. You ppl have to see each other every day, to do the ppl's work, so you have to try to get along? BS! Do what you constituants want, for a GD change! I've never been so disgusted in my party. You have NO balls! I'm today switching my "party affiliation" to independant! I've had it, with spineless representation.